I cleaned up Dancer's mess, had a cup of coffee and spent a relaxed morning. I replied to blog comments, read and commented on a few other blogs, and read the news online. Later, I chatted with daughter, when she called to say good morning.
In the afternoon, I went grocery shopping. I went to three different stores, this time, because I wanted to get the weekly specials. I went to the Armenian store for the majority of the fresh produce and some other items I wanted; I went to the supermarket to get their chicken on sale, more grapes, and cat food for Dancer; and I went to a warehouse type store for their eggs, strawberries, and bottled water that were on sale.
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| June 9 Groceries |
At Store 1, I bought:
1 lb. bag carrots = $.39
1 package (4 oz) paprika = $1.99
1 package raw cashews ($9.99/lb!) = $3.64
1 package digestive biscuits (400 g) = $.99
1+ lb. tomatoes @$.39/lb = $.47 (4 tomatoes)
1 celery @3/$1 = $.34
Ginger root @$.49/lb = $.06 (2 small pieces)
1+ lb. onions @$.20/lb = $.24 (3 onions)
1 iceburg lettuce = $.50
Mediterranean cucumbers @$.49/lb = $.23 (3 small cucumbers)
Tamarind pods @$1.99/lb = $.48
Green beans @$1.29/lb = $.44
Total = $9.77
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| Store 1 Receipt |
At Store 2, I bought:
1.78 lb. grapes @$.99/lb = $1.76
Chicken breast halves (split breasts, with skin & ribs) @$.77/lb. = $3.67 (4 breast halves)
Total = $5.43
They had advertised 2 lb. containers of strawberries for $1.97, but they were out of them and I forgot to ask for a rain check. But I wasn't too concerned because I knew that Store 3 was selling them for $1.99
(I also bought 3 cans of cat food for Dancer, but that's not included in my grocery budget)
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| Store 2 Receipt |
At Store 3, I bought:
1 container ice cream = $3.49
2 doz. large eggs @$.99/doz. = $1.98
1 cantaloupe @$.25/lb = $.81
2 lb. container strawberries = $1.99
24 ct. bottled drinking water = $1.99 + $1.20 deposit
Total = $11.46
I also bought 2 air fresheners, @$.79, plus $.15 sales tax, but that is not part of my grocery budget.
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| Store 3 Receipt |
Total spent today = $9.77 + $5.43 + $11.46 = $26.66
In addition, I had spent $4.67 on 6/6
Total spent to date = $4.67 + $26.66 = $31.33
My June grocery budget = $75 - $16.21 overspent in May = $58.79
Balance left in June budget = $58.79 - $31.33 = $27.46
Well, this is going to be an interesting month! Obviously the cashews and ice cream were indulgences that I probably could have done without, but the budget will stretch to cover them. All I really need for the rest of the month are milk, bread, and fresh produce.
Brunch today was the leftover pasta from last night. I had two of the digestive biscuits with a cup of tea after I came home from grocery shopping. For dinner, I had an egg salad sandwich (using up the last two eggs from the old carton), followed by some of the strawberries.
Later in the evening, I called Aunt C and had a long chat with her. After that, I video chatted with daughter; I could see her, but she couldn't see me, as the image of me was frozen on her computer. The same thing happened yesterday, too.
Today, I am grateful for:
- A sunny, warm day (86F in the afternoon)
- A relaxed morning
- Grocery sales
- Being able to go to three grocery stores to get the deals
- Keeping in touch with family and friends
How was your Saturday? Did you go grocery shopping this week? Did you find good buys? How is your grocery budget coming along?
Sorry, but you had me in stitches reading about your "sleep-in" this morning. Nice try though.
ReplyDeleteYour grocery sales always boggle my mind. I also bought chicken on sale this weekend. I bought thighs for $2.00 a pound. You bought breasts for $.77 a pound. Your buys at the green grocers are astounding, but it must help your budget immensely knowing most of those veggies are grown right there in your home state. Celery 3 for $1 ??? I remember balking at paying more than $5 for one stalk just 3 winters ago. You did extremely well this week.
Ha, ha, I guess the consensus among my family and friends is that I should be up and about by 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning! :)
DeleteI got some good deals on the groceries, didn't I? The chicken sale price was the same for whole chickens, split breasts, thighs, and drumsticks (but not wings). I didn't want a whole chicken; I did contemplate buying what they call a "picnic pack" which had a mixture of breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, but I decided to go with the breasts. My daughter would have bought the thighs as she prefers them to breasts.
As for the produce prices, this store, and another Armenian store, regularly have celery on sale for 3/$1. I wait until it goes on sale and then, buy one, cut it up, and freeze to add to dishes when I am cooking (I don't like raw celery).
I wanted to buy some broccoli, too, but this store didn't have it on sale, this week (it was over $1/lb.); another store is having them on sale for $.49/lb. so I might just go there, before Wednesday, which is when the prices change, and buy some from that store. They have beets for $.39/lb., too.
Nothing like waking up to the sound of a hairball being coughed up. Unfortunately, I know just what you're taking about. :)
ReplyDeleteHe is on a hairball formula cat food (although he doesn't like it as much as the other cat food I get for the garden cats!), but he's getting ready for summer and shedding fur like crazy! I should start brushing him more regularly, too.
DeleteDon't you hate it when you give yourself permission to stay in bed as long as you want, only to be wakened by outside forces!
ReplyDeleteThe dog does not cough up hairballs, but despite having her summer hairdo she is still shedding at a remarkable rate. Every time I vacuum fur fills the canister.
I suppose I could have turned the ringer off on the phone, but then, I wouldn't know it if my daughter is trying to contact me. But, yes, my family and friends should know by now that I like to sleep in on the weekends!
DeleteAww, the poor dog. Poor you, too, having to deal with all the fur! A friend's friend collected the fur of her dog and had it spun into yarn! My friend asked if I would knit it into a sweater, and at that time, I had too much going on, so I declined. But, I kept wondering if, every time her friend washed her sweater, did it smell of wet dog?
Hi Bless, I'm feeling much better now. Thank you for asking.
ReplyDeleteI notice that you buy bottled drinking water. Is that a necessity because of the quality of the local water or just your preference. I'm impressed with your bargain priced veggies. I have a similar monthly budget for food but keep my costs down by sometimes shopping for yellow sticker bargains (where the store reduces the costs because it's nearing the sell by date or the item is perishable and the store is due to close for the day).
Glad to hear that you are feeling better, Eileen.
DeleteThe bottled water that I buy is for emergency supplies. I live in earthquake country. We are supposed to keep at least 1 gallon of water per person for 3 days (plus extra if we have pets) on hand. But preferably more - both food and water. I usually keep 6 1-gallon jugs of bottled water (since they are sealed, they have a longer shelf life than if I refill a gallon jug with tap water) on hand for myself and daughter (even if she's not living at home, any more). At one time, I used to buy the larger 2.5 gallon bottles, but I find the gallon jugs to be more convenient. When I host the prayer gatherings, etc., I will keep a gallon jug of bottled water available for anyone who wants water, usually from the older stock on hand, and then, replenish the stock.
The smaller bottles of water are in addition to the gallon jugs. They are also convenient to carry with me, if I go somewhere. I have an office-provided earthquake supply kit at my desk, which contains 3 pouches of water, in case of an emergency. But I also keep one small bottle of water in my desk drawer, as well.
Otherwise, I drink regular tap water that I boil and cool. Our tap water is perfectly OK to drink straight from the tap, but I have always boiled it before drinking. It's just a personal preference.
When we had cats I learned to do an imitation of a cat coughing up a hairball. Okay, so that is not a required expertise but you never know when it might come in handy.
ReplyDeleteWe are seeing a rabbit nearly every day and one day there were two. Perhaps there will be a whole crowd of them soon! We are not growing anything that they can steal and they are welcome to the weeds.
Ha, ha, Bushlady, you are a lady of many talents! Sometimes, I get whacked in the face with a furry tail, and I worry that I might end up having to cough up a hairball, myself!
DeleteOh, bunny rabbits! How cute! :)
I have to ask, what do you use the tamarind for? I used to eat the the "meat" inside the pods as a child straight off the trees down by the beach. :)
ReplyDeleteDebbie, we used to do that, too, and my daughter still likes to eat a tamarind! There was another variety of tamarind that were small, about the size of a thumb nail, that was a favorite when I was growing up!
DeleteI use the part that is inside the shell when cooking curries. It adds acidity to the dish and acts as a meat tenderizer.
Good try in trying to sleep in! You could assign a unique ring tone so that you know when your daughter is calling and can ignore the rest until later, if you choose. I’ve assigned different ring tones for each family member and no longer have to look at my phone display to know who’s calling. Just a thought! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know if my phone has different ring tones, Carolyn (this is my home phone they are calling me on, not my cell). But, one of my friends was telling me to learn how to mute the ringer, so that I can just turn it off when I am sleeping. :)
Delete